How to make scrambled eggs?

[NisAznMonk]

n00b chef back in the house!!

The problem: how to make scrambled eggs

I watched a video on expertvillage.com on how to make scrambled eggs but I'm unsure of what cream to use. [To see the video click here]

To verify my findings I did a search and saw this post:

...Or, some perfectly scrambled eggs (mix some cream in before you scramble them, along with salt and pepper - and scramble them in some real butter - and dont' be stingy with it either Cook them on low and take a rubber scraper that can handle the heat and keep the "curds" of egg nice and big and don't let anything brown)

What type of cream am I supposed to use, and what amount? I've heard of milk, but I'm a skim milk type of guy. Is that ok? I'm just cooking for 1 person, so I assume 2 eggs would be enough.

 

[NisAznMonk]

Oh, and I've heard of people using club soda if they want a "lighter and fluffier" egg dish. Have you heard of that? I'd like to use skim milk or a whey protein shake if possible....but I'm listening to any suggestions that ya'll may have

 

[texasgirl]

Well, I've never cooked scrambled eggs like that, so, this is a new one for me.
The cream can be half and half.

I have always put the eggs in a bowl and beat them with a wisk, adding milk or cream, then putting them into the pan of butter and easiley stirring them around until done.

 

[mozart]

n00b chef back in the house!!

The problem: how to make scrambled eggs

I watched a video on expertvillage.com on how to make scrambled eggs but I'm unsure of what cream to use. [To see the video click here]

To verify my findings I did a search and saw this post:



What type of cream am I supposed to use, and what amount? I've heard of milk, but I'm a skim milk type of guy. Is that ok? I'm just cooking for 1 person, so I assume 2 eggs would be enough.

I've used everything from skim milk to heavy whipping cream and it will come as no surprise that the cream ones tasted best.

If using low fat milk, I would just reduce the amount you use somewhat, so you don't change the texture. Skim milk has more water, thus you run the risk of steaming the eggs if using too much.

As for cooking them, there is no substitute for experience. I use medium-high heat. Other suggest low heat.

I usually end up overcooking my eggs on low heat because it takes so long for the curds to form. I like to cook them quickly until just holding together and let the residual heat finish them on the plate. I find they come out with the best texture this way and are tender.

But of course the slow cookers have their methods too.

To make up for the skim milk, you can throw a little cheese in there, but of course, that will change the taste.

 

[NisAznMonk]

For 2 eggs how much cream should I use?

What if I decided to only cook scrambled egg whites? Would that require more eggs and cream?

 

[ErikC]

Too much cream or milk, and your eggs will be runny. Honestly, I never measure mine, I just splash some in. I think 1/4 cup would be the most I would use for 2 eggs.

Also, make sure the heat is not too high, otherwise the eggs will stick to the pan, and you'll have a tough time cleaning it!

Also, if you have a bit of cheese, grate or chop it up, and toss it on top of the eggs and cover the pan with a plate -- off the heat, of course. The cheese will melt into the eggs and it will be heaven on a plate!

Chopped green onions, chives, bacon bits (real ones, not simulated) are all great additions to scrambled eggs, too.

 

[NisAznMonk]

To make a "healthier" scrambled egg dish... should i use butter, margarine, or olive oil?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

There have been a few posts here, and they are all good. The vidieo link showed you one person's idea of the "prefect" scambled egg, made in the pan.

I am going to change things up a bit and give you maybe more info than you want. But I believe that the more information you have, the greater chance you have for making your very own "perfect" scrambled eggs.

Unlike in the video, most people pre-mix there eggs in a bowl. Usually two eggs are used, with a splash of water, milk, or cream added, depending on the texture you want. Salt and seasonings are often added at this time as well, so that they are evenly distributed throughout the eggs.

For my eggs, I use two large eggs, with about 3 tbs. of whole milk. I add a pinch of salt (about an eighth tsp.) with a dash of course-grind black pepper. I place real butter into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (10 inch) and let melt over medium heat. I then add the eggs and begin stirring after about ten seconds. I let the eggs cook undisturbed for another ten seconds or so, and begin folding the eggs on top of each other until all of the egg is nearly set. I plate and let residual heat finish the dish.

For my wife, she likes her eggs drier, and so I let them cook in the pan until all of the egg is set completely.

I know people who insist on using cream, which makes a richer flavor in the egg. I know people who add water because they like their scrambled eggs to ooze water on the plate and be very, very moist. Then, still others I know add an extra yolk to the mixture to make the eggs more luxurious and give them more flavor.

There are a host of people that will saute chopped onion, celery, cooked bacon bits, or chopped ham, etc., in the pan before adding their scrambled egg mixture to the pan. The extra ingredients are then incorporated into the cooking eggs.

Many people place either sliced American cheese, or Velveeta cheese onto the eggs just before they are done, stirring them in to coat every egg chunk. Other favorite cheeses to use are Muenster, Havarti, Swiss, Cream Cheese, Creme' Fresh, Parmisano-Reggiano, Monterey-Jack, Various grades of Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gruyere, well, you get the picture.

Each cheese has it's own personality, texture, and flavor when melted. Depending on what you like, there is a cheese that will go well with your eggs. You might even try one of the veined cheeses, like Gorganzola.

And don't forget that different fats will give different flavor. Butter is the standard by which other fats are measured. But for health issues, it is not widely known, but pork fat is actually lower in cholesteral than is real butter, with is healthier than margerine. Olive oil, or the nut derived oils are much healthier than either butter or pork fat. And if you enjoy the flavor of an extra-virgin olive oil, use it. Just be aware that there is a flavor that you may love, or not. The nut and seed oils, such as sunflower, safflower, walnut, peanut, etc. are great and healthier oils, but have little to no flavor, depending on which one you use. And they have higher smoking points as well.

For me, I use either bacon grease, sausage grease, or butter for my scrambled eggs, depending on my mood.

So my advise is to read everything that everyone says to you, and then play with variations. There is no one way to make "perfect" scrambled eggs. But you will find a combination of technique and flavor that will be perfect for you.

Oh, and one final tip that most people don't know; if you want silky smooth scrambled eggs, that are suprememly tender, after mixing your eggs with whatever you are going to mix them with, pour them trough a fine-mesh wire strainer to remove the little protien strings found in the egg.

Now, break out the pan, and find the recipe that is perfect for you.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Dodi]

My son add evaporated milk to the eggs (unsalted evaporated milk)

 

[auntdot]

In my opinion pure great scrambled eggs can only be made in a double boiler.

That being said, I hardly ever make them that way.

Try frying them with spinach, bacon that has been crumbled, and some mushrooms, the canned will do nicely. Remember them from a place I used to go in college and they are great.

Course usually add some Worchestershire sauce and a bit of hot sauce.

But eggs, as Goodweed has noted, as such wonderful vessels for so many flavors.

Almost anything savory you have in your fridge will work in scrambled eggs.

Ham, shrooms, asparagus, of course onion including shallots and scallions, diced peppers, diced Italian sausage, or Chinese sausage, garlic chives or any chives, even small shrimp or crayfish bits.

The scrambled egg is a palate for the cook as the easel is to the artist. There are so many ways to make them. Just use your creativity and enjoy.

 

[ErikC]

The "health" question of butter vs margarine is a difficult one, and you will get a lot of passionate answers in favor of both. My own personal belief is that butter is better, simply because it is not a "manufactured" product as is margarine. Others will point to the cholesterol in the butter and say margarine is better. Butter fanatics will then point at the hydrogenation process used to make margarine and that it creates even more dangerous fats, but then this is counter-argued by the newer processes used in making margarine.

So, in my case, I decided to opt for the more "natural" item, or items. I use butter or olive oil for most pan cooking, and other vegetable oils for higher heat techniques. I figure anything that humans have been eating for over 100 years has undergone enough critical attention that it should be considered at least passably healthy.

 

[Bilby]

My current method (I have changed methods several times over the years) for just a basic scrambled eggs is put aa decent amount of butter or marg (we generally use marg in Australia) into a small frypan so that when it melts, the pan is well coated and let it melt over a low heat. I then remove the pan from the heat and crack two eggs directly into the pan and mix up with a wooden fork and return to the low heat. (The heat is never higher than the lowest it will go.) I literally only add a splash of cream - whatever cream is in the fridge and that is either usually whipping or lite, not double - and continue to mix it through the eggs. As it starts to cook around the edges, just mix and drag the cooked bits thru the raw bits. Continue to do this until it is still slightly shiny but nearly cooked through. Serve and it will continue to cook a bit longer. This is always moist and looks like a scrambled egg should look!

Variations - a handful of grated cheese, or a lump of cream cheese, or a chunk of seafood pate added with the cream and just follow rest of recipe.

If you want to cut down on your yolk intake without completely avoiding the yolk, separate the egg and beat the egg white until soft peaks are formed. In separate bowl, lightly mix the yolk with a dash of milk, seasonings and any other additions you fancy. Get your pan all ready to the melted butter stage and just before you add the beated white, mix the yolk mixture thru the white and pour straight into the pan. Mix with the wooden fork in the same manner. I find when I do this method, I only need one egg, not two. This is also a good way to make eggs stretch further for a group. If doing a group, I would allow one egg per person and one for the pot. Still get fluffy eggs, not quite so yellow but very tasty nonetheless. This was the way I used to scramble eggs as standard.

 

[radhuni]

I use chopped onion, Capsicum, green chili, tomato and coriander leaves for preparing scramble.

 

[pacanis]

If I am not making a sandwich or frittata style breakfast, I don't add anything to my scrambled eggs. No milk or other dairy products other than the butter they cook in. If I am having bacon too, I will cook them in a little of the bacon grease rather than the butter. I've had them with milk and like them that way, but I don't prefer them that way so never bother with it myself. I think I saw on a cooking show someone recommend 1 oz of milk per egg.
I always scramble them in the pan, too. I turn the heat off near the end because the pan will remain hot enough to finish them without over cooking. When I scramble I typically cook three large eggs for myself, otherwise it's two.

 

[Constance]

I like a dollop of sour cream beaten in with the eggs, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. I use a non-stick skillet, and melt just enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan, add the egg mixture, and cook over medium heat, stirring just often enough so they cook evenly. I take them out while they're still creamy...don't like them cooked hard. If adding cheese, I put it in just before they come out of the skillet.

 

[Foodfiend]

Here's how I make my scrambled eggs: Melt some butter in a skillet, crack a few eggs into it after butter is melted, add a couple of spoonfuls of drained canned corn and scramble 'til done. Never heard of putting milk or cream in eggs though, is it supposed to make them taste better?

 

[Hawkeye16]

I usually beat eggs with a little bit of milk, salt and pepper. I cook over low heat as well. They usually turn out amazing

foodfiend... I think it makes the finished product a little more creamy and less dry personally.

 

[Ol-blue]

My current method (I have changed methods several times over the years) for just a basic scrambled eggs is put aa decent amount of butter or marg (we generally use marg in Australia) into a small frypan so that when it melts, the pan is well coated and let it melt over a low heat. I then remove the pan from the heat and crack two eggs directly into the pan and mix up with a wooden fork and return to the low heat. (The heat is never higher than the lowest it will go.) I literally only add a splash of cream - whatever cream is in the fridge and that is either usually whipping or lite, not double - and continue to mix it through the eggs. As it starts to cook around the edges, just mix and drag the cooked bits thru the raw bits. Continue to do this until it is still slightly shiny but nearly cooked through. Serve and it will continue to cook a bit longer. This is always moist and looks like a scrambled egg should look!quote]

I just tried your method for my son and he loved them. The eggs were so light and tender. Thanks for sharing your method.

 

[Bilby]

So glad it worked for you!

 

[Bilby]

...is it supposed to make them taste better?

Like Hawkeye said but just be careful you don't put too much of either milk or cream in cos it will smell like fried milk/cream (like when the milk pan catches) and also the eggs will just be watery.

Personally I think the trick with scrambled eggs is less to do with what you put into the mix but more how you cook them. Letting them cook too long or not stirring the mixture as it cooks tends to be a bit of a killer, IMO.